Mount Angel, Oregon
Encyclopedia
Mt. Angel is a city in Marion County
, Oregon
, United States
. It is 18 miles (29 km) northeast of Salem, Oregon
on Oregon Route 214. The population was 3,121 at the 2000 census. Mt. Angel is part of the Salem Metropolitan Statistical Area. Portland State University Population Research Center estimate from 2008 has the population at 3,758.
Rev. Fr. Adelheim Odermatt, O.S.B.
, came to Oregon in 1881 with a contingent of Benedictine monks from Engelberg
, Switzerland
, in order to establish a new American daughter house. After visiting several locations, he found Lone Butte to be the ideal location for a new abbey, and shortly afterwards ministered to several local Roman Catholic
parishes, about the same time large numbers of immigrants from Bavaria
settled in the area. Due to his efforts, the city, post office and the nearby elevation Lone Butte came to be known as Mount Angel (an English translation of Engelberg) in 1883. He also established Mount Angel Abbey
, a Benedictine
monastery
and school, which was moved permanently to Mt. Angel in 1884.
The city of Mt. Angel was incorporated April 3, 1893. The post office of Saint Benedict, Oregon
was established at the Abbey.
Mount Angel Abbey is still located on Mount Angel. The original Kalapuyan name of the butte is Tapalamaho, which translates to "Mount of Communion." At the request of the Archbishop of Oregon City, the abbey opened Mount Angel Seminary in 1889 for the training of priests. The original wooden buildings at the foot of the butte were destroyed in a fire in the 1890s, and another disastrous fire in 1926 consumed the second monastery, an imposing five-story edifice of black basalt at the top of the butte. The current monastery building was completed in 1928, and subsequent structures followed, including a library built by Finnish architect Alvar Aalto
in 1970. A bell tower was added to the abbey church in 2007 which contains eight bells, one of which is the largest swinging bell in the Pacific Northwest.
, the city has a total area of 1 square miles (2.6 km²), all of it land.
Mt. Angel is in the Pudding River
watershed.
of 2000, there were 3,121 people, 1,059 households, and 661 families residing in the city. The population density
was 3,264.3 people per square mile (1,255.2/km²). There were 1,124 housing units at an average density of 1,175.6 per square mile (452.1/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 75.65% White, 0.45% African American, 0.93% Native American, 0.19% Asian, 0.10% Pacific Islander, 17.85% from other races
, and 4.84% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 27.84% of the population.
There were 1,059 households out of which 35.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.0% were married couples
living together, 10.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.5% were non-families. 33.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 20.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.75 and the average family size was 3.54.
In the city the population was spread out with 30.2% under the age of 18, 8.5% from 18 to 24, 25.1% from 25 to 44, 17.9% from 45 to 64, and 18.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 92.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $36,293, and the median income for a family was $45,650. Males had a median income of $33,523 versus $21,442 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $15,535. About 10.3% of families and 16.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.6% of those under age 18 and 20.2% of those age 65 or over.
, Providence Benedictine Assisted Living, Mt. Angel Towers, Highland Laboratories, and the Mt. Angel School District
.
. The Mt. Angel Oktoberfest is one of the largest of its kind in the U.S. The festival can attract upwards of 350,000 people and includes beer and wine gardens, softball tournaments at Ebner Ball Park, a local football game and volleyball invitational tournament, carnival rides, crafts, a wide assortment of German food, and a two-day car show.
, both of which are listed on the National Register of Historic Places
(NRHP). Windischar's General Blacksmith Shop is another NRHP-listed structure in the city.
In March 2006, the city announced plans to build a 49 foot (15 m) glockenspiel
. Completed in time for Oktoberfest 2006, the glockenspiel is the largest in the United States. Located on the corner of Charles and Garfield streets, the four-story-tall glockenspiel is part of the Edelweiss Village Building.
, which includes John F. Kennedy High School
.
Colegio César Chávez
was a college-without-walls program that existed in Mt. Angel from 1973 until 1983. At the time, Colegio was the only four-year Latino
college in the country. In the early 1980s the former Colegio grounds and building were purchased by a private buyer and donated to the Benedictine sisters. The Benedictine sisters now operate St. Joseph Shelter in the former Colegio building and dorms.
Appeal Tribune newspaper, which is published on Wednesdays by the Statesman Journal
, and by the Woodburn Independent
.
Mt. Angel is on Oregon Route 214; Interstate 5
, 10 miles to the west, is the closest major highway.
Rail
The Willamette Valley Railway
serves Mt. Angel.
Air
The closest airport is McNary Field
in Salem.
and electricity is provided by Portland General Electric
.
45.06806°N 122.79889°W
Marion County, Oregon
Marion County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oregon. It was originally named the Champooick District, after Champoeg, a meeting place on the Willamette River. On September 3, 1849, the territorial legislature renamed it in honor of Francis Marion, a Continental Army general of the...
, Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is 18 miles (29 km) northeast of Salem, Oregon
Salem, Oregon
Salem is the capital of the U.S. state of Oregon, and the county seat of Marion County. It is located in the center of the Willamette Valley alongside the Willamette River, which runs north through the city. The river forms the boundary between Marion and Polk counties, and the city neighborhood...
on Oregon Route 214. The population was 3,121 at the 2000 census. Mt. Angel is part of the Salem Metropolitan Statistical Area. Portland State University Population Research Center estimate from 2008 has the population at 3,758.
History
Mt. Angel was originally settled in 1850 by Benjamin Cleaver, who later planned a townsite which he named Roy. In 1881, a railroad station was established and named Fillmore after a railroad official. The following year, a post office with the name of Roy was established, but neither name was to last.Rev. Fr. Adelheim Odermatt, O.S.B.
Order of Saint Benedict
The Order of Saint Benedict is a Roman Catholic religious order of independent monastic communities that observe the Rule of St. Benedict. Within the order, each individual community maintains its own autonomy, while the organization as a whole exists to represent their mutual interests...
, came to Oregon in 1881 with a contingent of Benedictine monks from Engelberg
Engelberg
Engelberg is a village in the canton of Obwalden in Switzerland. Engelberg has a population of . , 21.0% of the population was made up of foreign nationals.It is the leading mountain resort in central Switzerland...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, in order to establish a new American daughter house. After visiting several locations, he found Lone Butte to be the ideal location for a new abbey, and shortly afterwards ministered to several local Roman Catholic
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
parishes, about the same time large numbers of immigrants from Bavaria
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
settled in the area. Due to his efforts, the city, post office and the nearby elevation Lone Butte came to be known as Mount Angel (an English translation of Engelberg) in 1883. He also established Mount Angel Abbey
Mount Angel Abbey
Mount Angel Abbey is a community of Benedictine monks near the city of Mt. Angel, Oregon, United States. It was established in 1882 from the Abbey of Engelberg, Switzerland. The abbey, located on the top of Mount Angel, a 485-foot high butte, has its own post office separate from the city of Mt....
, a Benedictine
Benedictine
Benedictine refers to the spirituality and consecrated life in accordance with the Rule of St Benedict, written by Benedict of Nursia in the sixth century for the cenobitic communities he founded in central Italy. The most notable of these is Monte Cassino, the first monastery founded by Benedict...
monastery
Monastery
Monastery denotes the building, or complex of buildings, that houses a room reserved for prayer as well as the domestic quarters and workplace of monastics, whether monks or nuns, and whether living in community or alone .Monasteries may vary greatly in size – a small dwelling accommodating only...
and school, which was moved permanently to Mt. Angel in 1884.
The city of Mt. Angel was incorporated April 3, 1893. The post office of Saint Benedict, Oregon
Saint Benedict, Oregon
Saint Benedict is the name of the post office at Mount Angel Abbey in Marion County, Oregon, United States.When it moved from Gervais to the town of Mt. Angel in 1884, the postal service would not allow the abbey to establish its own post office as it was less than a mile from the Mount Angel post...
was established at the Abbey.
Mount Angel Abbey is still located on Mount Angel. The original Kalapuyan name of the butte is Tapalamaho, which translates to "Mount of Communion." At the request of the Archbishop of Oregon City, the abbey opened Mount Angel Seminary in 1889 for the training of priests. The original wooden buildings at the foot of the butte were destroyed in a fire in the 1890s, and another disastrous fire in 1926 consumed the second monastery, an imposing five-story edifice of black basalt at the top of the butte. The current monastery building was completed in 1928, and subsequent structures followed, including a library built by Finnish architect Alvar Aalto
Alvar Aalto
Hugo Alvar Henrik Aalto was a Finnish architect and designer. His work includes architecture, furniture, textiles and glassware...
in 1970. A bell tower was added to the abbey church in 2007 which contains eight bells, one of which is the largest swinging bell in the Pacific Northwest.
Geography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 1 square miles (2.6 km²), all of it land.
Mt. Angel is in the Pudding River
Pudding River
The Pudding River is a tributary of the Molalla River in the U.S. state of Oregon. Its drainage basin covers . Among its tributaries is the Little Pudding River...
watershed.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 3,121 people, 1,059 households, and 661 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 3,264.3 people per square mile (1,255.2/km²). There were 1,124 housing units at an average density of 1,175.6 per square mile (452.1/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 75.65% White, 0.45% African American, 0.93% Native American, 0.19% Asian, 0.10% Pacific Islander, 17.85% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 4.84% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 27.84% of the population.
There were 1,059 households out of which 35.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.0% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 10.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.5% were non-families. 33.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 20.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.75 and the average family size was 3.54.
In the city the population was spread out with 30.2% under the age of 18, 8.5% from 18 to 24, 25.1% from 25 to 44, 17.9% from 45 to 64, and 18.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 92.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $36,293, and the median income for a family was $45,650. Males had a median income of $33,523 versus $21,442 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $15,535. About 10.3% of families and 16.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.6% of those under age 18 and 20.2% of those age 65 or over.
Economy
As of 2000, the five largest employers in Mt. Angel were WilcoWilco (farm supply cooperative)
Wilco is a farm supply cooperative based in the Willamette Valley of the U.S. state of Oregon. It was started in 1967 with a merger of the Mt. Angel Farmers Union Warehouse, the Santiam Farmers Cooperative, the Donald Farmers Co-op, the Valley Farmers co-op in Silverton, and the Canby Cooperative....
, Providence Benedictine Assisted Living, Mt. Angel Towers, Highland Laboratories, and the Mt. Angel School District
Mt. Angel School District
Mt. Angel School District is a public school district that serves Mt. Angel, Oregon, United States.- John F. Kennedy High School :John F. Kennedy High School is a grade 9-12 public high school.- Mount Angel Middle School :...
.
Arts and culture
Annual cultural events
Mt. Angel is well-known locally for its annual OktoberfestOktoberfest
Oktoberfest, or Wiesn, is a 16–18 day beer festival held annually in Munich, Bavaria, Germany, running from late September to the first weekend in October. It is one of the most famous events in Germany and is the world's largest fair, with more than 5 million people attending every year. The...
. The Mt. Angel Oktoberfest is one of the largest of its kind in the U.S. The festival can attract upwards of 350,000 people and includes beer and wine gardens, softball tournaments at Ebner Ball Park, a local football game and volleyball invitational tournament, carnival rides, crafts, a wide assortment of German food, and a two-day car show.
Museums and other points of interest
Mt. Angel is also home to the historic Queen of Angels Monastery, run by the Benedictine Sisters of Mt. Angel, and the 1912 Saint Mary Catholic ChurchSt. Mary's Roman Catholic Church (Mount Angel, Oregon)
St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church, located in the city of Mt. Angel, Oregon, United States in Marion County, is a historic church built in 1912. The building is listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places, a status it gained in 1976. The church contains 18 original stained-glass...
, both of which are listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
(NRHP). Windischar's General Blacksmith Shop is another NRHP-listed structure in the city.
In March 2006, the city announced plans to build a 49 foot (15 m) glockenspiel
Carillon
A carillon is a musical instrument that is typically housed in a free-standing bell tower, or the belfry of a church or other municipal building. The instrument consists of at least 23 cast bronze, cup-shaped bells, which are played serially to play a melody, or sounded together to play a chord...
. Completed in time for Oktoberfest 2006, the glockenspiel is the largest in the United States. Located on the corner of Charles and Garfield streets, the four-story-tall glockenspiel is part of the Edelweiss Village Building.
Education
Mt. Angel is served by the three-school Mt. Angel School DistrictMt. Angel School District
Mt. Angel School District is a public school district that serves Mt. Angel, Oregon, United States.- John F. Kennedy High School :John F. Kennedy High School is a grade 9-12 public high school.- Mount Angel Middle School :...
, which includes John F. Kennedy High School
John F. Kennedy High School (Mt. Angel, Oregon)
John F. Kennedy High School is a public school located in Mt. Angel, Oregon, United States.- Student profile :As of fall 2006 there were 228 students enrolled at John F. Kennedy High School. Under the current OSAA standards, Kennedy is in the 2A classification...
.
Colegio César Chávez
Colegio César Chávez
Colegio Cesar Chavez was a U.S. college-without-walls in Mount Angel, Oregon. The college was named after Mexican American civil rights activist César Chávez. Colegio was established in 1973 and closed its doors in 1983. Colegio was the first accredited, independent four-year Chicano college in...
was a college-without-walls program that existed in Mt. Angel from 1973 until 1983. At the time, Colegio was the only four-year Latino
Latino
The demonyms Latino and Latina , are defined in English language dictionaries as:* "a person of Latin-American descent."* "A Latin American."* "A person of Hispanic, especially Latin-American, descent, often one living in the United States."...
college in the country. In the early 1980s the former Colegio grounds and building were purchased by a private buyer and donated to the Benedictine sisters. The Benedictine sisters now operate St. Joseph Shelter in the former Colegio building and dorms.
Media
Mt. Angel is served by the weekly SilvertonSilverton, Oregon
Silverton is a city in Marion County, Oregon, United States, along the 45th parallel. The population was 7,414 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Salem Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
Appeal Tribune newspaper, which is published on Wednesdays by the Statesman Journal
Statesman Journal
The Statesman Journal is the major daily newspaper published in Salem, Oregon, United States. Founded in 1851, the Oregon Statesman later merged with the Capital Journal to form the current newspaper, the second-oldest in Oregon. The Statesman Journal is distributed in Salem, Keizer, and much of...
, and by the Woodburn Independent
Woodburn Independent
The Woodburn Independent is a bi-weekly paper published in Woodburn, Oregon, United States, and also covering the cities of Hubbard, Aurora, Donald, Gervais, St. Paul and Mt. Angel, and the surrounding area of Marion County. The Independent was founded in 1888...
.
Transportation
HighwayMt. Angel is on Oregon Route 214; Interstate 5
Interstate 5 in Oregon
In the U.S. state of Oregon, Interstate 5 traverses the state from north to south, passing through the major cities of Portland, Salem, Eugene, and Medford.-Route description:...
, 10 miles to the west, is the closest major highway.
Rail
The Willamette Valley Railway
Willamette Valley Railway
The Willamette Valley Railway is a short-line railroad that operates in the Willamette Valley of Oregon. It leased a line from Woodburn to Stayton from the Southern Pacific Transportation Company in February 1993, as well as a branch from Geer west to Salem , and purchased the property in 1996...
serves Mt. Angel.
Air
The closest airport is McNary Field
McNary Field
McNary Field , also known as Salem Municipal Airport, is a public airport located two miles southeast of the central business district of Salem, a city in Marion County, Oregon, United States, also the capital of the state. The airport is named for Senator Charles L. McNary...
in Salem.
Utilities
Water and wastewater treatment are provided by the City of Mt. Angel. Natural gas is provided by NW NaturalNW Natural
NW Natural is a publicly traded utility headquartered in Portland, Oregon, United States. Primarily a natural gas distributor, the company services residential, industrial, and commercial customers in Western Oregon and Southwest Washington in the Pacific Northwest. Founded in 1859, the company...
and electricity is provided by Portland General Electric
Portland General Electric
Portland General Electric is an electrical utility based in Portland in the U.S. state of Oregon. It distributes electricity to customers in parts of Multnomah, Clackamas, Marion, Yamhill, Washington, and Polk counties - half of the inhabitants of Oregon...
.
External links
- City of Mt. Angel (official website)
- Mt. Angel Chamber of Commerce
- Mt. Angel Oktoberfest
- Listing for Mount Angel in the Oregon Blue BookOregon Blue BookThe Oregon Blue Book is the official directory and fact book for the U.S. state of Oregon copyrighted by the Oregon Secretary of State and published by the Office of the Secretary's Archives Division. As Governor Ted Kulongoski notes in his introduction for the 2005–2006 edition, it "provides...
45.06806°N 122.79889°W